Transform NASA Patents into New Solutions

NASA’s Technology Transfer Office invites entrepreneurs, innovators, and creative thinkers to apply NASA’s patented technologies to practical applications. Participants will select an existing NASA patent and develop a business or product concept that will be evaluated based on value proposition, business model viability, development feasibility, and quality of presentation. Entries should clearly demonstrate creativity, feasibility, and a compelling rationale for how the concept could create real-world impact, competing for the chance to win $10,000.

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The Challenge

The NASA Patent Remix Challenge asks participants to explore NASA's portfolio of patented technologies at the Technology Transfer Office and propose bold, novel, and commercially viable applications that transform their defined purpose, bringing these inventions to the public with new use cases.

Each submission will demonstrate how a selected NASA patent, or a suite of patents, can be transformed into a new product or business concept. Winning ideas demonstrate strong potential to pursue a research or evaluation license, and serve as the foundation for new startups, products, or partnerships. 

By surfacing high-potential concepts and solvers, this challenge hopes to accelerate the transition of space technology into the commercial marketplace, driving economic growth, public benefit, and continued momentum for U.S. innovation leadership.

Provide novel solutions to transform the NASA patent(s) into commercially viable use-cases.

As a participant, you will:

• Select a NASA patent (or a set of related patents) from the Technology Transfer patent library at technology.nasa.gov
• Identify a real-world problem or market need that the patent’s capabilities could address
• Develop a product or service concept that integrates NASA technology as a core innovation
• Use the Strategyzer Business Model Canvas (BMC) found in Resources to define your customer segments, value proposition, channels, and revenue strategy
• Explain how your solution improves or disrupts existing market capabilities
• Outline a realistic roadmap for product development, validation, and potential licensing.
• Communicate the public benefit of your solution—how it contributes to everyday life, industry, or the environment.

Submit three components: A short paper (up to 3 pages of written content, PDF format), a Business Model Canvas (1 page, PDF format, submitted as a separate file), and a pitch video (up to 5 minutes).

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What Comes Next?

Register:

• The first step is to register for the competition. Registering early is the easiest way to stay informed and can be completed on the Eventbrite link.
• Visit the Schedule page to view important events, submission due dates, and winner announcement timelines.

Understand the competition:

• Review Eligibility Requirements.  
• Familiarize yourself with the Participation Agreement.
• Ensure your submissions align with these judging criteria.
• Check the FAQs regularly for updates

Explore Resources:

• While not required for the competition, the resources offer additional guidance, including how to submit a NASA licensing request, insights from NASA Spinoff on patented technologies, and more.​​​

Stay informed: 

• Join the Slack channel for announcements, tips, team building, and mentor connections.
• You may also reach out to us through email at info@NASAPatentRemixChallenge.org.

Prepare and Submit 3 Components:

• Prepare a 3-page Submission Paper:
  
  • Adhere to the provided formatting guidelines, including font size, margins, and content organization. See formatting instructions here.
  • A suggested submission paper template is provided here.
• Prepare a 1-Page Business Model Canvas:
  
  • Adhere to the provided guidelines and content requirements.
  • A Business Model Canvas template is provided here.
• Prepare a Pitch Video (up to 5 minutes):
  
  • Adhere to the provided video rules. See instructions here.
  • Suggestions for an effective video are provided here.
• Submit: Ensure all materials are submitted by the specified deadline

If selected as a Finalist, more information will follow.

Good luck to all participants!

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Background

Many products and brands are widely recognized by consumers, yet few realize that the underlying technology was developed through NASA’s aeronautics and space programs, as highlighted in NASA Spinoff’s Portfolio. At NASA’s Glenn Research Center, the Technology Transfer Office helps transform space innovations into everyday products, creating consumer benefits and strengthening the U.S. economy. This technology can be further built upon, spurring new ideas and making it accessible for everyday use.

The NASA Technology Transfer Program provides public access to 20 years of NASA’s patented innovations. Additional information can be found through the NASA Technology Transfer Program and the ‘How to License Technology from NASA’ guide.  This guide, along with FAQs and other useful content, can be found on the Resources page.

Discover all the ways that NASA has helped entrepreneurs bring space technology down to Earth at https://spinoff.nasa.gov.

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Competition Structure

Participants will submit a short 3-page white paper, a 5 minute video, and a Business Model Canvas (BMC) of their idea. Submissions will be evaluated per challenge Judge Criteria. Following the evaluation period, 1 Finalist and 3 runners-up will be selected for monetary prizes.

Note: Ownership and use of non-governmental intellectual property arising from this competition remains with you.